The New Kitchen -- Scratching in some Functionality

Here's my 6 burner Jenn-Air gas cook-top.  I keep my castiron griddle and panini press on the center burners.

My kitchen renovation project began in August of 2008 and finished in late October.  To be completely honest, it actually began about 5 years earlier when I began doing some research on just what I wanted in my dream kitchen -- At one point, my friend Meda drew up the plans and then I truly began looking at cabinet styles & finishes, counter-top materials, appliances, etc, etc.  My friend Paul Fenner agreed to be my contractor and he drew up a budget plan and refined the drawings that Meda put together.  I chose some simple, sort of shaker-style cherrywood cabinets, soapstone counter-tops, with a farm sink and bamboo flooring.  My appliances are stainless steel professional style.  Here are some pictures:  They are kind of dark -- I will try to take some additional pictures when it is daylight -- these turned out dark, even though I used a flash and my kitchen is not a dark kitchen at all.

Here's my Jenn-Air double oven -- electric.  Both ovens convert to convection ovens.  They also have a proofing capability, which I use as either a warming oven or for letting bread dough or rolls rise.  I can also use them as a dehydrator, but haven't ventured there yet.  You can also see my micro wave oven and toaster/oven.

Here's my professional style freezer & refrigerator.

A very dark view of my custom made soapstone farm sink.  I wanted the large farm style sink for washing large pots and roasting pans.  I love to entertain and have cooked for 50 or so people and fed them in a sit down dinner at my house.  I also have a special faucet for filtered water.

Finally, here is my butler's pantry.  This is where I do most of my bread baking and dealing with dough.  You can see my Kitchen-Aid Professional mixer and my ancient bread machine (R2D2)

I know that some cooks are not gadget cooks.  I'm not either, but I do know that having the right gadget for the job, makes all of the difference in the world, when one is a busy person, but still attempting to cook everything from scratch.  I generally steer away from 1 use appliances too -- the exception would be my waffle iron.  It is practically an antique.  Some very dear friends gave it to us when they found it when they were living in a house that was formerly used as a convent -- that was in 1984 or so.  The waffle iron was old then, but it's even older now, but in perfect shape.  I have really steered away from the newer Belgium waffle irons.

I only use my bread machine to mix up dough -- I rarely bake bread in it anymore.  When my kids were much younger, I would set it up on a timer, so that when they got home from school, there would be fresh bread baked for them as an after-school snack.  Of course it was healthy whole wheat bread, but who can resist something healthy, when it smells as good as fresh baked bread!!!  I read that for the best quality bread, it is best kneaded in a bread machine, but shaped and baked in a regular oven.  The crust is just a bit too tough when baked in a bread machine.  The next best quality is when mixed in a mixer with a dough hook and the last is kneading it by hand.  Kneading it by hand is by far the most therapeutic, but for a busy lifestyle, kneading and rising in a bread machine is the most convenient.  Then you just have to shape it and let it rise 1 more time, before baking.  I put it in one of my warming ovens to rise and preheat the other oven while the rolls or bread are rising.  When they are done rising, I just bake in my preheated oven.

My other small appliances consist of a hand mixer, an electric knife, a coffeemaker (that also grinds the beans just before brewing -- which I also put on a timer for fresh brewed coffee when I get home from the gym in the morning), a blender, a food processor (that I bought at a garage sale for $5), a Cuisinart ice-cream maker (another 1 use appliance, I guess - sigh!), a Breville juicer, that was a gift from my kids, a microwave oven, a toaster/toaster oven & a large crockpot.  As far as gadgets, I have too many to list, but they were all thoughtfully picked & purchased over the years.  I still have the excellant L.L.Bean knife set that we got as a wedding present -- 34 1/2 years ago!

Anyway -- this is my start.  I will now concentrate on Thanksgiving and the meal that I will cook.  It looks like there may be 20 of us this year -- David & I and all 5 of my children, 2 spouses & a grandchild and all of our "Americus orphans" (people who we know at Habitat who have no where to go or whose families live too far away).  We are all family at Thanksgiving!!!

Come & join us!